This is a guide or tutorial for all of those out there that wonder how to take a proper screenshot but don?t know how.

So you have an image on your screen that you want to take a screenshot of. Not a problem. There are 2 sets of options. I will go with the first type that will work with just about any OS out there. Some names may vary for Linux or Mac users but it should still apply close to what i am saying.

PROCESS 1

So with the image on your screen there is a button on your keyboard called the Print Screen button. Most likely it reads PrtScn when you see it on your keyboard. Most desktop PC?s will have this just to the right of the Function keys (Also called the F Series Keys). It is placed right next to the F12 key. To the right of that is the Scroll Lock or ScrLk key. The PrtScn is directly above the Insert and Delete buttons.

Hit this once to take a screen shot of your desktop as it sits at that time. *Note* if you use dual monitors, it will take a screen shot of both monitors. This will save the image to your Clip Board. Now just open up your favorite image processing program such as Paint, Paint.NET, GIMP, Photoshop among many others out there. Once you get the program open hit Ctrl + V to paste the contents of your Clip Board to the open image document.

Another option if you do not wish to take a screen shot of your whole entire desktop is to use the built in method to take a screen shot of just the active Window. This is done by holding down the Alt key when you press the PrtScn key. This will take a screen shot of the last active Window or the current active Window.

Now save the image. Windows users click Alt + F to open the file menus to find this. Not sure on OS X how this is done. Sorry folks. This will direct you to save the image to a location of your choice. Now all you must do is upload it. This can be done 1 of 2 ways as well. So let me explain step 2 on how to take a screen shot before i talk about that.

PROCESS 2

This process is directed toward Windows Vista and Windows 7 users. It can also be done by users who use the software SnagIt on Windows XP. There is also a program called WinSnap in which you can choose an area upon which you want to take a screen shot of.

Now for Vista/Win7 users there is a tool located on your Start Menu. It is called the Snipping Tool. Just click it and let it load. When it does it will give you a pair of scissors as your icon and you just click and drag to the desired size. It is pretty simple really. Then just click the image of a floppy disk to save the image just like listed above.

WinSnap in action:

Snipping Tool in action:

This is what you will first see when you open the Snipping Tool.

This is what you see when you have selected your area that you want to capture and are trying to save the capture.

UPLOADING

Now this can also be done 1 of 2 ways. The first way is fully dependent on the site in use. Some sites, or forums, have their own method on how to attach an image or file to your post for others to see and download. Ask on the site to see how it is done there. The 2nd method is simple. Go to any one of the following sites:

ImageShack.us

PhotoBucket

MajHost

TinyPic

Flickr

This is just a few sites out there that have free image hosting. Some sites you can create an account and upload and keep track of your images, while others you have this option but it is not mandatory. Just select the site of choice, click the upload button. From there you will get a pop up screen asking you to use the Windows Explorer Window to browse your PC to find the image you want to share. Just navigate to the image or screen shot you just saved. Click Ok. It should then upload for you to their site.

After it uploads, which for some sites might require you to click a Go button or something along that sort as it allows you to upload multiple images at once, you will see a screen that gives you many options. Dont worry most of them you dont need. The one you do want or need would be the one that says [IMG]http://www.tech-forums.net/forums/f128/screenshot-tutorial-239107/ Code or Forums or IMG Code for Forums and Message Boards. Any one of these is the option you want. At least to upload to a Forum or Message Board.

Copy that to your clip board with Ctrl + C and in your message use Ctrl + V to paste it in. When you click submit, your image will show up. Viola you have successfully uploaded a screen shot to a forum or message board.